Antiglare illumination apparatus



June 15, 1937. A. DE ARANZADI E IRUJO 4,

ANTIGLARE ILLUMINAT ION APPARATUS Filed Aug. 18 1954 Patented June 15,1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANTIGLARE ILLUMINATION APPARATUSAntonio de Aranzadi e Irujo, Pamplona, Spain Application August 18,

1934 Serial No. 740,520

In Spain August 24, 1933 3 Claims.

- j pass safely and have a clear view of the road behind the other car,until their own head lights are switched on fully.

It is generally accepted as a rule of the road that upon approaching avehicle traveling in the opposite direction, the powerful headlightswhich produce a glare in the eyes of the oncoming driver are turned offand replaced by regulation passing lights. This operation is usuallyeffected when the approaching vehicles 5 are about 350 yards or moreapart. The regulation passing lights allow the two vehicles to advancesafely until they are about 100 yards apart. At this point each car isabout to enter the dark zone on the left side of the other. The periodin which the cars approach from a point of about 350 yards apart to apoint of about 100 yards apart can be considered to be the first phaseof the passing.

The second phase begins when the cars are about 100 yards apart andterminates when the cars are along-side each other and the bright headlights are again turned on. This second phase is the shortest but mostdangerous, as the dazzling of the regulation passing lights compels thedrivers to go on blind without noticing obstacles which could appearduring the passing or immediately thereafter.

An object of this invention is to furnish the cars with a light systemcomplementary to the regulation lights for passing, that will illuminatethe side of each car (each car illuminates the portion of the road wherethe other has to go) during the'second phase of the passing, with a veryintense and diffused light avoiding as far as possible dark patches inthe illuminated zone. This light is directed almost parallel to the axisof the road and in such a way as not to dazzle either the coming or thefollowing car.

The present invention will be more easily understood by following theaccompanying drawing.

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the anti glare apparatus and itsholder, according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the disposition of thespherical mirror in relation to the half disk.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the shield and the channel clampingring.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an apparatus similar to Fig. 1, butwithout the spherical mirror and shield.

Fig. 5 shows a plan view of a car furnished with the new lamps.

The anti-glare apparatus has a special bulb (A) of higher power whichoperates at a very high temperature. The cars usual battery is strongenough for these lamps as their use is" limited to a few seconds.

Great illuminating intensity is necessary for the satisfactory result ofthis invention and taking advantage of the short duration of the secondphase of the crossing, I can strengthen the intensity of the bulbs,increasing their current consumption and working temperature, to limitsvnot reached as yet in automotive construction.

The apparatus has a parabolic reflector, B which carries the lampsocket, C with its spring contact, D. All these interior elements areprotected by a casing, E.

A cap-shaped spherical mirror F is provided to direct the light towardsthe upper part of the reflector, so that the light rays projected by thelower portion of the bulb are usefully employed. It is supported by adisk G, the upper portion of which is removed for the passage of lightand the lower portion of which prevents the light from passing throughthe lower portion of the front of the apparatus.

The disk G is encircled by a flange T affixed in the rim of reflector B.Flange T forms a circular cavity carrying a gasket H for supporting thelens I. This lens is fluted vertically in order to broaden the lightbeam.

J is a gasket which closes the small space between the lens I and thecasing E, making the inner part of the apparatus dustand watertight.Gasket J, moreover, provides an elastic packing between the clampingring K and the lens. When screw U is tight, ring K retains the lens Iand the reflector B against the casing E.

The visor-like shield L, which is carried by ring K, prevents the driverof the on-coming car from being dazzled. The height and direction of theapparatus can be adjusted. The lower part of the shield lies in ahorizontal plane passing through the axis of the'apparatus. Its lengthis calculated to let out most of the light, which is directed obliquelydownwardly onto the road. Moreover, it serves as a reflector directingthe horizontal and upwardly directed beams downwardly. The road is thusilluminated from the lower part of the apparatus.

M is a cable or conductor which connects the contact D of the lampsocket with the connecter N which, in turn, is connected to a battery.

The casing E is surrounded by a supporting member clamped in position byscrew V. At the lower portion of the member 0 there is provided athreaded stud R which is adapted to be received in openings in the armsof a clamping bracket Q which is adjustably secured to rod P by nuts S.Rod P is carried by a bracket which may be mounted at any point on thecar by means of nut W. This construction permits the mounting of theapparatus without the use of special brackets.

Fig. shows how the apparatus are to be fixed to a car in order to obtainthe best results. (X) and (Z) are the anti-glare apparatus of Fig. l and(Y) the lamp of Fig. 4. The apparatus (Z) is fastened to .a transversebar in front of the radiator or any similar position. It operates duringthe second phase of the passing instead of the regular lightsilluminating the road ahead of the car without disturbing the comingdriver nor harming the effect of the side lights.

Lamp (Y) is flxed on the edge of the lower and back part of the leftfront fender. It illuminates the road backwards in a direction parallelto its axis but without disturbing the driver of the following car aslong as the latter keeps to his side of the road (the first car actingas a shield).

The anti-dazzle apparatus (X) is flxed on the left rear fender, directedforwards and also parallel to the road. It illuminates a much shorterzone than lamp (Y). This lamp, together with (Z), helps the driver ofthe car equipped with the same.

The anti-glare apparatus of Fig. 1 can be changed into the projector ofFig. 4 by substituting the pieces shown in Fig. 2, by a ring with aflange (T) and pieces shown in Fig. 3, and by a clamping ring (K). Bythis simple change of two pieces, I obtain the two different types ofapparatus required for my system, even though the same have ratherdiflferent functions. This represents an appreciable economic advantage,as it makes possible standard manufacture.

On rainy days and especially on bituminous roads, the light of the lampsX and Z might possibly be reflected by the road acting as a mirror. Theyought to be switched on, leaving Y illuminating backwards.

These lamps are switched either by hand or foot and in different wayswhich are immaterial to the principle of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. An anti-glare projecting lamp, comprising a casing, a parabolicreflector mounted therein, a bulb supported by said reflector, saidcasing and reflector having nesting forwardly extending flanges, anannular member concentrically mounted in the flange of the reflector, asemicircular disk carried by the lower half of said annular member,reflecting means carried by said disk for projecting light fallingthereon upwardly and rearwardly to the upper portion of said parabolicreflector, a visor projecting forwardly from the front of said lamp andextending downwardly to the axis of said parabolic reflector, saidannular member being provided with an annular recess, a lens gasket insaid recess, a lens positioned against said gasket, and clamping meansextending circumferentialiy about said casing for retaining said lens,annular member and reflector in assembled position.

2. An anti-glare projecting lamp according to claim 1, in which saidreflecting means comprises a cap-shaped spherical mirror having astraight upper edge substantially ln alignment with the lower horizontaledge of the visor.

3. In an illuminating system for automotive vehicles, comprising incombination with an automotive vehicle a projecting lamp mounted at therear lower portion of the left front fender in a position to projectlight rearwardly parallel to the road, and an anti-glare projecting lampmounted on the rear portionof the left side of the car and positioned todirect light forwardly parallel to the road, said anti-glare devicecomprising a casing, a parabolic reflector mounted therein, a bulbsupported by said reflector, said casing and reflector having nestingforwardly extending flanges, an annular member concentrically mounted inthe flange of the-reflector, a semi-circular disk carried by the lowerhalf of said annular member, reflecting means carried by said disk forprojecting light falling thereon upwardly and rearwardly to the upperportion of said parabolic reflector, a visor projecting forwardly fromthe front of said lamp and ex- .tending downwardly to the axis ofsaid'parabolic about said casing for retaining said lens, annular memberand reflector in assembled position.

ANTONIO DI ARANZADI'I JRUJO.

